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Harvey Kong

Danny Mok

Hong Kong police have arrested a 32-year-old woman on suspicion of conspiring to lure two people to Southeast Asia to conduct scams by offering them free flights to Thailand and promising a lucrative reward for transporting cash.
The force revealed on Wednesday that the two female victims, aged 20 and 23, had returned to Hong Kong after their families paid a ransom of an undisclosed sum.
The suspect, a beautician, was arrested in Tsim Sha Tsui on Monday.
Superintendent Iu Wing-kan of the New Territories South regional headquarters said the suspect was alleged to have lured two young women to a scam farm in Myanmar by travelling via Thailand to engage in criminal activities.


The case came to light when the mothers of the two women each reported their daughters missing on December 30 and New Year’s Day.
The two women were discovered to have left for Thailand together on December 27.
Iu said immediately after the pair landed, they had their passports and phones taken before they were brought to Myanmar in a land and boat journey that lasted more than 10 hours.
The group behind the kidnappings then contacted the women’s families and initially demanded a ransom of US$28,000 to ensure their safe return.

The pair were later freed and returned to Hong Kong unhurt last Saturday. It was not immediately clear the exact sum paid by both families.
Iu said intelligence provided by the victims had helped police track down and apprehend the suspect.
She will appear in Sha Tin Court on Thursday on a charge of conspiracy to defraud.
Police said the victims had compared the scam farm to a film set, noting the location was surrounded by mesh fencing and guarded by armed men in camouflage clothing.
The two women were unaware of the exact location or the number of people being held captive, but recounted being forced to learn scripts and character settings for scams.
The suspect met the victims separately at bars in Hong Kong and gained their trust by giving them free drinks and entertainment, before offering them flight tickets to Thailand and hotel rooms, police said.
The victims were promised a lucrative reward for transporting cash, Thai baht, on December 27, hours before they boarded a plane.
Asked if there were any indications Southeast Asian scam gangs had extended their operations in Hong Kong, Iu said there was no intelligence on the matter.
Police accused the suspect of “extremely despicable” behaviour.
They said their investigation was continuing and further arrests were possible.
“We also want to find out what this criminal syndicate is,” said Iu, adding that his team would also investigate whether triad gangs were involved.
He also emphasised that no one had been abducted while travelling, reiterating a point previously made by security minister Chris Tang Ping-keung.
The force again reminded the public to be wary of online job advertisements that offered exceptionally generous conditions, as well as airfares and accommodation, saying they could be an attempt to lure individuals by promising high-paying jobs that required no educational qualifications or work experience.
Scammers would also exploit the desire of young people to travel abroad, using offers of free trips or requests to buy items as a guise to deceive them into travelling to Southeast Asian cities, it warned.
The force revealed the arrest of the suspect after Hong Kong sent a task force to Thailand in response to growing concerns about residents being forced into working at scam farms in Southeast Asia.
After returning to the city late on Tuesday, Undersecretary for Security Michael Cheuk Hau-yip, who led the task force, said Thai authorities were expected to roll out measures to ensure visitors’ safety as part of efforts to combat human trafficking in the region.
Cheuk added that he hoped to secure the release of 12 residents lured into working at scam farms in Southeast Asia by Lunar New Year.


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Woman, 32, arrested after allegedly luring 2 Hongkongers to Southeast Asia

(Left to right) Chief Inspector Yu Pok-hon, Superintendent Iu Wing-kan and Chief Inspector Chan Wing-kwan brief the press on Wednesday. Photo: Jelly Tse

The two women were discovered to have left for Thailand together on December 27. Photo: Elson Li

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Wang Weiju pleads with Chinese embassy staff in Bangkok. Photo: Sam Tsang

How can Hongkongers protect themselves from Southeast Asian job scams?

Thailand is under an amber outbound travel alert, the lowest level on Hong Kong’s three-tier system.  Photo: EPA-EFE

Undersecretary for Security Michael Cheuk (left) has led a task force on a trip to Thailand. Photo: Elson Li

News

Hong Kong

Law and Crime

Suspect allegedly met victims at bars and offered them free drinks, entertainment and flights to Thailand


Suspect allegedly met victims at bars and offered them free drinks, entertainment and flights to Thailand.


Hong Kong police

Southeast Asia forced-labour scams

Scams and swindles

Crime